Means for controlling automatic water-heater.



R. HOFFMAN. MEANS POR, CONTROLLING AUTOMATIC WATER HEATERS.

Patented Deo. 19M.

2z ren/? f APPLIGATIN FILED 00TA 6, 1913,

Nm s iz.. .i n DM Ef /j im .1

aah@ @if f LHOLPH'HOFSMAN, OF CHIC-AGG, ILLNOIS.

F1o LEKCDTTROL'LNG AUTOMATC XVATEEVEETERS.

*Sp e eficet on oi Letters Eatent.

fat-criteri iee. 15, 191e.

npplicaton filed. October S, 1913. Serial 110.798,562.

s s, at Chr jock and State of rtain new and usens ler Controllingl s, viti/sh the -toiis invention is to r po# nveljv shutting off i the burner, in casethe norm liv closing or shutis should aii to operate. invention is to regufuel in accordance with rot 'eter is being drawn. iso relates to the other vororements in automatic `nater set forth.

ingdraivinp's Figure 1 is ctional view through anl; Vthe features ot" my a front elevation off certain parts in section.- he piston. Fig. l i or' the piston rod vner and 'the burner or any Well-known or suit- 1, and therefore are not snij.' `the means for cono"It fluid fuel to the burner' Said controlling 'aviation to the Water The illustrative ses a hase r icl-tube f2` 'he branch i .he fuel supply, p 5 in communication nounted on the base il the levier end of s with the lower end of nigh aipassage t3.` `Within a piston or plunger suitable, quantity of merifnzid l"ilhen the piunger 7 sinon, the mercury occuvthe U-tuoe 2 and prehetvfeen the two thus cutting ott ihen the :ercury flows 1 foire" end of H-izuhe un- Mounted on the hase 1 above the u'ell or cylinder a c vlinder D, the louer end of which is arranged to communicate with the Wate '-container through a pipe 10. The f, cylinder 9 communicates with the house system or service pipes through a pipe 11 and a series ot ports 12 or their equivalent. A piston rod 13 is guided for vertical move ment in a stutiing box 11 on the lower head 6 of the cylinder 9 and in a bracket 15. Upon the portion of the piston rod 13 which projects into the cylinder 9 is slidably mounted -a piston 16 having a tubular stem 1T that fits slidably upon the rod 13. Suitable means may be provided for preventing rotationl ot' the piston 16, as, for example, a stem 1S and a tubular guide 19. Below the piston 16 is a coll-.rr 20 fixed to the piston rod 13. In the piston and the collar are openings 16a and 20, respectively, adapted to register under certain conditions, as will appear hereinafter. A coiled spring Q1 interposed between the upper head of the cylinder 9 and the piston 16 tends to hold the latter against the collar 20.

Fixed in the end oll the piston rod 13, above the upper end of the tubular stem 17, is a pin 22, adapted to overlie the upper end of said stem. When said pin overlies the 85 upper end of the stem 1T, the openings 16A and 20 are out ot' register; if an outlet in the house s vstcln is then opened, Water iiou's from the heater through the pipe 10 into `the cylinder 9,1-aisi1ig the piston 1G and Howingr through one or more ports 1:2 into the pipe 11 and thence to the house system. When the piston 16 is thus lifted the piston 'rod 13 is likewise raised. The lower end ot' said rod is attached to the stem oi the plunger or piston 7 through the medium of a torsion spring strip 2i; therefore, when the piston 16 is raised, as just described, the plunger i' is raised to allow mercury to low out ot' .the U-tube '2, and thus open communication between the source of supply of fuel and the burner.

The greater the number of faucets opened in the house. system, the higher the rise of the piston. Thus it will be seen that when but little hot water, is being drawn, the plunger will rise but little, and only a -clatively small passage will be provided through the U-tube 2 for the fuel. When much water is being dra-wn, a proportionately large iioiv or" fuel is permitted.

Means is provided for disconnecting the piston 16 and the piston rofl i3 when Wambel ol i gi'eileermiiied teii'lperatiue is Hoving tliifouffli the pipe ll. This menus may include :i tlieimostat of any suitable eoi'istiuetion. Herein have shown n liei'mostzitie is sull'ioieiil'ly broad. so lmt i (loes not pass above or be iw i i 1i the reciprocatingmmemeut of the foil 1.3i` A spring 3l tends "i0 push #ne rofl 2S against the arm 2Q.

ln die i-uliulzu s; 32 nclapecl o zeoe side of the Slo-b 32.., 17 is out :wmv to surface 33 wl the surface ei; the opposie Two stop eins :are fix enel of die el the stem is e piu wliiel'i is lie against the stop ypins 3'?- :is onnbutmen for 'niiet l.Wien lie temper: mii-e 7' ing through the pipe ei'ii'iinecl poin, the e1; most-atie tulle pei-m tie spe# press Athe :wm 2 :ig'uii'is lie si; turning lie pisoi rod l lueuee of lie tosioz. sfu pin 22 is in reg 'er with plnngeil i will thm eljf il; lille piSi'OiilG, :mil will v the 'How of 'fuel to the iw of cliscliiircge from elle lions cient-ly great, the piste lf lie limi' is compare l l l. l

ls lijf reason of die torsion spring oieg'is-ei Wwlie ports a out. of 1G, vili upon the Water lll mise die y Y 7, thus opening le g; soon as the Wnei eaohes degree of Warmth, the spring 3l v 'll disconnect lie plunger from @lie pisorf, :md thus Cause lie supply of Jfuel to be cui oil. Ti,"'Then the house outles m'e ,closedv lle piston-i6 will descend; nucl when the water ssenclinU-:i-bou the tube 25 has cooled siiiciently, the spiio 24 will tum the rml 'l-l until the pin is; on the inclined suijace said sui-'face :les

'the eollm' 20 tightly agais'i the to draw pison,

l will lie eppsi'eil that iftlie plungel-7' should 'iiil to descend, fuel would continue to .lie supplied fo the limbes', notwithstandiiig; the feet tlm no wete? was being drawn'.

jo be now desei'ilied. le number of hollow, expansible um connected in Series and supi i .filiere me cylinder 9. Esch of said eouslso'f two flexible diepl'ir-agms c0nmet-eil 'together at their*pe'ripliei'ies. The

'lio olf inte this possibilitv. l have provided which exten is swiiiiil Nie fr the sei-ies of disks 36. {.oiiipiesioii springs -ifr hold elle yoke f' W# most disk incl 'tend to cori of 'jlie springs .d by means of the nuts of the heise sys' xin are t opposite sides of the ineviiable heyy oi he. piston.

iii. *alle hollow disks @nel @mises seid The bensi on is tlieieliy into position in ease the Y force of elle lo sem me Limb lelle iiieensiiieon 'n shown, as i-,ithmt defoitli in :wie wete-1 lieeei,y e fuel i--tube', f1, Well extending 1oel im' 'the 1L q ianity el i heavy liquid in sejo. well7 a piston in smid Well for displacing said liojuicl "rom the Well into lie. U-nube, said liqucl i'ececliiig from the 'U-tbe A suicienaly to allow fuel to flow through the U-tube when the piston is raised, a hot-Ww' te? discharge pipe, an element affected, Nby the 'f of liroofgjh Seid pipe? and;

iso"

m1215102 Y @i operiilin-f ennneetion between seicl element anal piston ,in un uteriintic Water heater, a uel vali/e comprising u lltiihe;.ii Well coinniuni- ,5 outing with und extending below the nl-tube; a quantity oi 'u heavy liquid in said tube and Well; unil n piston in sziicl Well; :i hot u' 'sehiirge pipe; :in element effected bi, the tion ol" Water through said pipe;

l@ unil un operating connect-,ien between said element eiiicl pistoni; i

automatic,ifzitereheateg e uel e het *er discharge pipe; a cylin- Iioinmunicating'with snicl pipe; a holi 'n .iisihle element located outside of L low nuisible element; ii tubular rod esehing communication between suici hollen element und said pipe, said element being miep-ted to be expanded by the pressure of the Weiter in said element and pipe; and 'a :3o Liieinher attached to seid fuel vulve, said tubular roti being arranged to press against seid member when seid element is expended to close the Valve.

5. 'in an automat-ie heater, a -iuel valve; ezi hntfiruter discharge pipe; i1 cylinder in piston in seid cylinder arranged 'L by the lion' ot Water through u, tubular stem attached to in rml slidable' in smid n 7l Jfuel vulve; a pin 'tu sfiicl pieten rr nhl tubular Stein i :i longitudinal si t *Cor the reception ein; anfl ineens ict-atl by the teinv 4e el the water flowing through said r 'turning sriiti pieten rod to pince in elim-nient with t1` i slot, means vided n iich tenifis to turn the to pince the pin eut oli uliiieuient o slot.'

un automatic neuter, u fuel vulve to rlosez :i hotmater discharge pipe; :i "fliniier in i" itl pine; :i pist-an in said Cyliiii'leuiirrungeu to ne niovetl by the flow o miteithrmigh seid ylinrler; ii tubular stein attached to Suid piston; a piston roiil slidnble Ain siiitl i 'n und connected to siiid fuel ruhe: it ein linen to sain piston rod, said tubular stein hui'iiig :i longitufliiiiil slot for the reeeptinn uf siiifl nin: :incl Ineens :iiif the temperature oi the waiter flor:-V will suill pipe `Ifor turning Seid rod te 'ilnee the pin in alinernent with slot, niet thus permit the fuel valve to su irl lo einer i CIK (III

. en automatic heater, n fuel valve;

shut-Water discharge pipe; :i cylinder in Suid pipe; u piston. in eiiicl Qjfliiuler urrnngeil tu lie moved liv the lion' of water through siiiil cylinder; ii tuouhir stein :itq tuched to siiicl piston; u piston .rod sliilnhle in said stein and connected to said iii-.il valve; :i pin fixed to siiicl piston rod, siii tubulin' stein hnqviug u longitudinal slot for the reception ol' said pin; ineiins ziii'ected by the temperature 0l' the water flowing through Suid pipe for turning sind piston rod to piece the pin in iilineinent withrthe slot; :i hollow expnnsilile element in communieution with the Cylinder; und means operated hy expansion olf sziicl element -for closing s-.iitl vulve.

S. ln :in automatic heater, :i fuel vulve, u hot-waiter discharge pipe`r ii cylinder in said pipo, u piston in siiiil o'iliiicler arranged to be nioixefl oy the flow o' Water through snicl Cylinder, ii piston rod for said piston, seid rod being connected to the fuel vulve, u Colliir on Suid piston rod :it the inlet sicle ofthe piston, sziiil collar und-piston having ports adapted to register, and ineens con trollecl by the teinperii-ture of the Water loiving tl rough seid pipe for causing relittive turning' movement between the piston :incl the eolhir to o; rry said ports out of register With mieli otliein ln iin automat-ic. heater, a. fuel Valvef` it hot-water discharge pipe, :i cylinder in said pipe, u piston in said cylinder arranged to oe inoi'ed by the flow oi'v Water through seid cylintf'ier, ii tubular stein attached to said piston, n piston rod connected to said fuel valve, ii pin fixed to said piston rod, said tubular stein having u longitudinal slot for the reception of said pin, .means nected oy he temperature oi' the water flowing through siiitl pipe for turning said piston roel to plus@ the pin iii iilineinent with the slot, fi coller on the piston rod :it the inlet side of' ihfi.` piston, said. piston and Collar haring ports which register when the pin is iii iilineuient with the slet, and ineens tending to turn the piston rod to place the pin out of' ulineineiit n'ili the slot und 'carry the ports in the collar out of register with the portsin the piston.

lO. In iin automatic heater, :i `fuel vulvey u. hote-ritiri' discharge pipe, :i cylinder in siiiclpipo, :i in in said cylinder arranged to he nioveil by the ihm' ofi water through said Cylinder, ii pieton roll i lvfile by the piston iincl connectent te siii :i ii hollowV eipiinsilile @lenient havin, iuiuliir rod coininunieating with the iiiwiior of siiicl ele inout and also eoininuiiioiiling; with said iliiuier. s l iuliulur rofl heilig ulined with l urrii l to iwss (igninst Siiicl piston i le :i u if e 'furl vulve.

in :in uutoiniitie lieiiiw', ii uel valve,

seid pipe, ii piston in siiirl Cylinder arranged to be moved by the iow of water through said cylinder, a piston rod movable by seid piston and connected to said vaive, a hollow expansibie element 1 cated outside of the cylinder, said element having a, tubular rod communicating with the interior of said hollow element and extending through one end of the Cylinder, said tubular rod being :dined with and arranged to press against seid piston rod to close the fuel vaive.

l2. In, in automatic heater, a fuel valve, :t hot-Water discharge pipe7 a cylinder in said pipe, n piston in said Cylinder arranged to be moved by the flow of water through said cylinder, @connection between the piston und the valve for operating the latter,

i spring tending to move the piston in the direction to close the valve, und supplementary means responsive to the pressure of the Water in the cylinder and also arranged to move the piston in the direction to close the valve. y

i3. in an automatic heater, i fuel vave, a hotqvater discharge pipe, 'a cylinder in seid pipe, e piston in said cylinder arranged to be moved by the How of Water through said-cylinder, a piston-rod for the piston, e connection between the piston rod and the valve for operating the latter, means tending to move the piston inthe direction .to close the vuve, and 4supp1.ementniy means .responsive to the pressueeofthe veter in the cylinder and arranged` f l'move the piston rod in the direction to close tlie'velve.

n testimony whereof affix my Signature in the presence of 'two Witnesses.

RUDOLPH HOFFl-.ANQ TVit-nesses:

EARL C. CARLSON, GEORGE L. CHINDAHL. 

